STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1050-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2436

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2436, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION DRUG,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to streamline the process to obtain authorization for prescription drugs by requiring:

 

(1)  The Director of Human Services to develop a uniform prior authorization form for prescription drugs no later than July 1, 2013; and

 

(2)  Health care insurance providers that provide prescription drug benefits and prescribers to use the uniform prior authorization form, beginning January 1, 2014.

 

     Hawaii Medical Association, American Cancer Society, American Academy of Private Physicians, Neuropathy Action Foundation, National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians, GBS/CIDP Foundation International, Power of Pain Foundation, Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants, and Epilepsy Foundation of Hawaii testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Human Services, AlohaCare, and CVS Caremark testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, and Ohana Health Plan commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Limiting the use of the uniform prior authorization form for prescription drugs to drugs that are prescribed for the treatment of diabetes or any form of cancer; and

 

(2)  Increasing to 72 hours, the time period in which a health care insurance provider must respond to a prescriber upon receipt of a completed uniform prior authorization form, or the prior authorization request will be granted.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2436, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2436, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair